Really poor service - aibu to be really annoyed?

QuestionableMouse · 2026-11-08T18:35:55+00:00

My dad who is 81 bought some chestnuts from a stall in our town centre. Every single one of them is bad/green mouldy. He took them back the next day and the woman who owns the stall refused to refund him and told him they were totally fine. I've reported her to trading standards because I find her attitude appalling. Aibu?

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 08/11/2026 18:38

Post pictures over the local FB page. Someone might eat one of them and he really poorly.

Lookingforwardtospringnextyear · 08/11/2026 18:38

What a disappointment for your Dad.
And yes you were totally right to report her.

Negantiger · 08/11/2026 18:49

Well you’re not bu but I don’t think some mouldy chestnuts are worthy of a thread on a forum. You’ve reported her though I’m not sure trading standards will take much of an interest. Being a pop up stall you’d have had more success with environmental health

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 08/11/2026 18:55

I don’t understand why you think mouldy chestnuts aren’t worthy of a thread.

People post all kinds of random stuff. Myself included.

Maybe people want to know about mouldy chestnuts?

SuziWithAnEye · 08/11/2026 18:56

Have you considered asking your 81 year old dad to do a sad face for the local paper?

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 08/11/2026 19:27

Negantiger · 08/11/2026 18:49

Well you’re not bu but I don’t think some mouldy chestnuts are worthy of a thread on a forum. You’ve reported her though I’m not sure trading standards will take much of an interest. Being a pop up stall you’d have had more success with environmental health

It's not a pop up stall but a permanent one in an indoor market.

Why did I post a thread? Because I wanted to talk to people about it.

OP posts:

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 08/11/2026 19:31

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 08/11/2026 18:38

Post pictures over the local FB page. Someone might eat one of them and he really poorly.

I have and this was her response.

Really poor service - aibu to be really annoyed?

OP posts:

midlifeattheoasis · 08/11/2026 20:44

It’s just a few bloody chestnuts. The stall holder wouldn’t have known they were mouldy as she couldn’t see inside them.

I had a few mouldy potatoes from Waitrose - again they couldn’t see inside them. Let it go.

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 08/11/2026 20:48

midlifeattheoasis · 08/11/2026 20:44

It’s just a few bloody chestnuts. The stall holder wouldn’t have known they were mouldy as she couldn’t see inside them.

I had a few mouldy potatoes from Waitrose - again they couldn’t see inside them. Let it go.

He took them back and showed her the ones he'd cut which were old mouldy. She said they were fine and refused to refund him.

OP posts:

pinkdyno · 08/11/2026 20:53

@Negantigerhave you just joined. This is probably in the mid to high end of stuff that is posted on a thread.

that’s the point, people can post anything at all. that said I agree with the rest of what you say, stall holder should refund, take it to local fb for support, trading standards probably a step to far for fresh produce in shell. Any decent supplier would have refunded.

OutOfTheOtherSide · 08/11/2026 21:06

SuziWithAnEye · 08/11/2026 18:56

Have you considered asking your 81 year old dad to do a sad face for the local paper?

🤣🤣🤣

PressedThistle · 08/11/2026 21:11

How much did your dad pay for the chestnuts? Not worth all this aggro for the sake of a few quid, just don't go to the stall again.

fuckeditupbadly · 08/11/2026 21:21

Negantiger · 08/11/2026 18:49

Well you’re not bu but I don’t think some mouldy chestnuts are worthy of a thread on a forum. You’ve reported her though I’m not sure trading standards will take much of an interest. Being a pop up stall you’d have had more success with environmental health

Is there some minimum threshold? Its not like newsprint where you have limited space.

ThatLemonBee · 08/11/2026 21:28

Put in the local group I bet more people had the same issue . Name and shame . I can’t belive they didn’t refund him

RappelChoan · 08/11/2026 21:32

I would chestnut accept that treatment of my dad - you should go and roast her. Sprout time this gets cracked.

GreenOnio · 08/11/2026 21:40

It is concerning that she thought they weren’t mouldy when she is presumably running a fruit and veg stall

Original poster

QuestionableMouse · 08/11/2026 21:46

PressedThistle · 08/11/2026 21:11

How much did your dad pay for the chestnuts? Not worth all this aggro for the sake of a few quid, just don't go to the stall again.

She called him a liar and I can't stand that. It's not about the money. It's about her called an old man who lost his wife for 50+ years less than a year ago a liar.

OP posts:

19Since7 · 08/11/2026 21:50

Eurgh, that would put me off chestnuts for life, it's foul.

Yes, rubbish service, YANBU.

BrilliantBetty · 08/11/2026 22:01

I think you’ve gone a bit OTT putting it on FB, Mumsnet and reporting it to the local authority. For the sake of less than a fiver. It’s not like the fruit and veg stall are making a huge profit on a few chestnuts. But they were wrong not to refund / show an interest. Sounds like you’re pretty even now. I’d move on and forget about it.

Silvercoconut · 08/11/2026 22:08

The fact that your dad lost his wife of 50 plus years last year is irrelevant to the chestnuts and is also irrelevant to him being called a liar.
Had he not lost his wife, would it have been okay to call him a liar??

Just go back make a fuss and insist on the refund!

ReadingSoManyThreads · 08/11/2026 22:10

Report her to Environmental Health, and keep the mouldy chestnuts to give to them.

mondaytosunday · 08/11/2026 22:10

@midlifeattheoasisand I hope you returned them to Waitrose! They may not see it but they must have been hanging around for a while. They would have refunded you.

Lifelover16 · 08/11/2026 22:17

I agree OP you are not being unreasonable. The woman should have made an apology and refunded his money, not called him a liar. Your dad must’ve been very upset.
As others have said, it’s less than a fiver. The smallholder should have refunded his money or given him another (non mouldy) bag. Has she not got an ounce of kindness for an old man?

PressedThistle · 08/11/2026 22:25

QuestionableMouse · 08/11/2026 21:46

She called him a liar and I can't stand that. It's not about the money. It's about her called an old man who lost his wife for 50+ years less than a year ago a liar.

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I think you're massively overreacting.

Beautyfadesdumbisforever · 08/11/2026 22:28

She should have said sorry and refunded him.
It may only be a few Chestnuts, but I can remember my Father started to lose his confidence as he got older, it’s not on.
Name and shame away because she should be ashamed.